Clothes follower or presser



H. w. ROUNTREE.

CLOTHES FOLLOWER 0R PRESSER.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 22, 1922.

\ 1,437,684. Patented Dec. 5,1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

I will r" .4 I it INVENTOR f2. W'Pounf-r'ee BY A H. W. ROUNHREE.

CLOTHES FOLLOWER 0R PRESSER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22. 1922.

Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEE'I 2.

N N h. m. Roz/"free.

Patented Dec. 5, i922.

start HENRY W. ROUNTREE, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIAASSIGNGR T0 H. W. ROUNTBEE 8: BROTHER TRUNK a BAG 00., INCORPORATED, Q1 RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

CLOTHES FOLLOWE R OR PRESSER.

Application filed March 22; 1922. Serial No. 545,808.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. BoUNrnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing, at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented new and Improved Clothes Follower or Presser, of which the following is a specification,

This invention has special reference to improvements in (what is termed in the art) follower or presser devices, that operate within the clothes compartment of wardrobe trunks which have garment supporting trolleys or hanger members, and which are especially designed to hold the garments from being crumpled or mussed while the trunk is in transportation or is set up to serve as a wardrobe. c

My present invention primarily has for its purpose to provide a garment pressing or holding device of a comparatively simple and economical construction, that is permanently attached within the garment coinpartmcnt of the trunk, and in such manner that it is always suspended within the clothes compartment that the adjustment thereof, to either the clothes pressing or fol-- lower position, or the swung down and released position. for giving free access to the inside of the trunk compartment, is so simple that any one can almost instantly ma nipulate the device to either of its said adjustments without the slightest danger of injury to the hanging garments, when the same is adjusted as a follower for engaging the garment so hung, or when the garments are being hung upon or removed from the trolleys or supporting rods, such as are used in wardrobe trunks.

With other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, my improved construction of clothes follower or presser device embodies the peculiar features of construction and novel combination of parts, fully stated in the following detailed description, specifically mentioned in the appended'clairns and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: i

Figure 1 is a perspective view ofmy'improved construction of clothes follower or presser device, the same being shown as operatively applied to a wardrobe trunk, and located at its outermost clothes pressing po sition.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of a portion of the clothes compartment of the trunk, the

presser or follower device being shown at the clothes pressing position in full lines and atthe dropped or released position (for giving free access to the clothes compartment) in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a face view of the clothes compartment of a wardrobe trunk with a modih'ed adaptation of my invention shown cally referred to.

In the illustrations of the operative ap plication of the simplest and preferred form oi-my invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, '1 designates the ment compartment of a conventional type of wardrobe trunk in the upper ends of the opposite sides of which are located the usual trolley rods on which the clothes hanger-s 2-2 are removably supported in the usual manner.

My present construction of clothes presser or follower deviceincludes a cross bar 3 the entire front and back faces of which are covered with a nickeled band 4:, to present smooth surfaces for engaging the clothes. The band 4 is secured to the wooden bar by fiat head rivets 5 which pass through the band and through the nickeled bearing brackets 6 that are secured on the opposite ends of the front face of the cross bar and which constitute the keepers for the oppositely projected locking rods 77.

The adjacent inner ends of the locking rods 7-7 slidably engage a metal housing 8 that is'riveted to the front face of the cross bar 3, centrally thereof, as is best shown in Figure 4, from which it will be seen the said inner ends of the rods 7'? terminate in right angled finger grips --70 that project through elongated slots in the housing- 8, the said fingers providing for con veniently pulling the bars 77 out of their locking adjustments and for compressing the rods distending-spring 9 that is located between the adjacent ends of the rods 77 and within the housing 8, as shown.

In the simplest form of my invention, shown in Figures 1 and2, an arm 10 is rivtion of the arrow, to drop down to the pendent or released position,"as is clearly indicated in Figure 2 andin such manner'that access may be conveniently had to the clothes compartment of the trunk for hanging the dresses or other garments within such compartment or for lifting the hangers with the clothes hung thereon from the hanger trolleys or supporting members, without the least danger of injuring the garments, when passing them into, or lifting them out of, the said clothes compartment.

The hinge connection for the swing-able presser device is located at the outer or front edge of the opposite sides of the clothes compartment and by reason thereof: the said device or cross bar, which is permanently contained within the trunk, is so positioned that it may be conveniently grasped and'swung up to the clothes pressing position, shown in full lines in Figure 1 and held so the operator can readily push the cross bar 8 back to closely press the garments together, as indicated in the said Figure 1.

For locking the cross bar 3 to its inwardly swung clothes pressing adjustments, a segment shaped plate 12 is secured upon each of the opposite sides of the clothes compartment. Each plate l2 has a series of rack teeth or locking notches 13 that are disposed in an arc, with the cooperating hinge pin 11 as the center, it being understood that the projected rounded ends of the locking rods 7-7 travel along their respective rack plates 12 and automatically interlock therewithas the cross bar 3 is forced inwardly against the hung garments and by proper finger manipulation of the angled ends 70 the said rods canbe instantly pulled out of engagement with their respective are shaped racks, when it is desired to swing the cross bar 3 out to the released position, and permit the said bar to drop down to its inoperative or out of the way adjustment, as shown in dotted lines on Figure 2.

In Figure 3, I have illustrated my improved presser and follower device used in connection with a supplemental follower board that has the shape of and can be used as an ironing board when it is disconnected from the trolley supports, and which isnormally supported upon the said trolley supports or hangers, as is clearly. indicated in the said Figure 3;

The hinge arm'pivot pin 11 may be shoulderedto abut its carrying bracket let mounted upon the respective site of the trunk clothes compartment wall andmay have its reducedshoulder shank threaded to receive a nut 15 for holding the pivot pin 11 fixedly upon its said carrying bracket 14:, as is clearly shown in Figure 5.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with'the accompanylng drawings,

connecting the free ends of the side arms to the opposite ends of the clothes compartment of a wardrobe trunk at a point of fixed location whereby to swing the cross bar, when the arms areprojected upwardly from their hinged connection inwardly against the hung garments in'the clothes compartment of the trunk, locking elements cooperative with the bar and the opposite ends of the clothes compartment for holding the bar to its clothes pressing adjustments, the said elements including finger engaged members for releasing the locking elements and for pulling the released cross bar outwardly to permit it to drop to a pendent position below the hinged connections therefor.

2. In a wardrobe trunh wherein is provided a clothes hanging compartment, av presser or follower device that comprises opposite rigid end arms, pivot brackets secured on the opposite ends of the trunk, fixed pivot studs secured to said brackets, on which studs said arms are at one end pivoted, a cross bar rigidly connected to the other endsof said arms, bearing brackets secured to said arms and cross bar, a housing secured to said cross bar between the ends of the same, a pair of latchrods enclosed in said bearing brackets and said housing. a. push spring in said housing between the ends of said latch'rods, said latch rods having finger grips projecting through elongated slots in said housing, arcuatc rack=plates secured to the opposite end walls of said clothes compartment to cooperate with the ends of" said latch rods for the purposes specified.

HENRY w; RoUNTnn-ic. 

